Ian Stewart laughing all the way to the bank
Everybody knows this. Everybody except Ian Stewart.
Now that we've gotten out of the way what a terrible, no-good human piece of shit that Ian Stewart is. I don't actually think that, but according to twitter, lots of people think that way. Oh well. People complain. People complain about people complaining.
Now I'm complaining about people complaining about people complaining. Good times.
The issue isn't about what Ian Stewart wrote on twitter, in my opinion. The issue is that he is even wearing a uniform that is in any way associated with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs chose to seek a $2 million agreement with Ian Stewart this offseason. They could have paid him nothing. Then in spring training when Ian Stewart was injured and unable to play, the Cubs could have released him and paid only a fraction of the money owed. They did not.
They paid Ian Stewart $2 million to be Ian Stewart.
This isn't the end of the world and it's really not even worth complaining about. Except in response to people complaining about complaining, that is. Then it is more than appropriate.
The Cubs signed a bad player for $2 million and got bad results. I don't feel bad for Ian Stewart and I sure as shit don't feel bad for the Cubs. They had a chance to be rid of Stewart twice and chose not to.
That being said, I'd much rather the Cubs make mistakes in signing players to these small contracts than absurdly large ones. It's much easier to swallow and a hell of a lot leasier to move on from.
But that does not mean we should not criticize the front office when they make a poor signing. This was one of them. It was one at the time and to nobody's surprise, it ended up being as bad as it looked.
Comments
uncle daveQuote Reply
This is a throwback. Nice work, MD.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Thanks
Apparently Theo said they were more confident in Baez’s ability to stay at SS now than before this year despite 26 errors. If he’s not blowing smoke up our ass, Javy could be real good even with a low walk rate.
dmick89Quote Reply
Anybody see this catch by Bourjos yet?
http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=27931309&topic_id=27301230
MuckerQuote Reply
Gerrit Cole got a 2-RBI single in his first at-bat. Also, as a nice bonus, he’s pitching well.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
Only 58 pitches through 5. Impressive for a first start.
dmick89Quote Reply
Saw an exchange between Sahadev Sharma and somebody (I think it was Myles?) about how Baez’s error total was inflated because he’s got a fucking terrible first baseman at Daytona that can’t catch the damn ball (dying laughing)
sitrickQuote Reply
@ dmick89:
He struck out the first batter he faced and hasn’t struck out anyone since. It’s been weird.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Also, Tim Lincecum has short hair now.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I think if a team just bunted directly at Garza every at-bat, they’d score like 4 runs.
GBTSQuote Reply
#Cubes
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
What’d he do this time?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ sitrick:
Carhart has only 3 errors at 3rd. Based on other infielders who also throw to 1st base, this sounds like a simple way to excuse Baez’s defense and blame someone else: http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=a5117134&mobile=false
dmick89Quote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
Fell down fielding a routine bunt for no reason. Still got the out, but it was quintessential Garza.
GBTSQuote Reply
Thoyer needs to hurry up and trade Vitters for Cole, for tradition’s sake
BerseliusQuote Reply
For the record, I’m pretty sure the Cubes kept Stewart for the cheap $2 mil because they didn’t think they could count on newly crowned perennial All Star Luis Valbuena to man 3rd all year.
mikeakaleroyQuote Reply
Tyler Colvin hit his first home run of the season.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Fair to say the Rockies got the better of the Cubs in that trade.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
False. Ian Stewart hit his 5th of the year today. Nevermind who it was for.
mikeakaleroyQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
I guess it isn’t often that you end up with a 5th OF in a trade and feel happy that you got the better end of the deal.
Also, at GW: The parrot on the arm during the HR trot in the last thread. (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
SVBQuote Reply
@ Uncle Dave (or was is Enrico Pallazo?): Have you been to Holland yet?
I checked on the highly-automated greenhouse/flower facility that my colleagues took their class too. Turns out it is very hard to get into to, and there is no “tourist” component. Trade secrets/schmade secrets. In PR, the Bacardi Factory is happy to have tourists visit….
SVBQuote Reply
Seems like Rizzo is the best hitter on the team. Why do waste him in the third spot of the order and not bat him second?
DeJesus, Rizzo, Soriano (I guess or Schierholz), Sori/Schier, Catcher, Valbuena, Castro, Barney, Pitcher (Wood bats 8th and Barney 9th every 5th day?).
SVBQuote Reply
@ SVB:
Nah, not yet. That’s a bit of a bummer, I’ll just have to settle for another brewery tour, I guess…
uncle daveQuote Reply
SVB wrote:
Teams have been batting their best batters in the third spot going back more than a century (see Cobb, Ty and Ruth, Babe), so I think it’s odd you ask about it in this specific case. The main reason is that it is the best place to get RBI (earlier spots don’t bat with enough runners on base, later spots don’t bat often enough). Not necessarily ideal strategy, but RBI’s have always gotten more attention than runs scored. Really, though, the advantage of batting the best hitter second as opposed to third is so tiny, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ mikeakaleroy:
Yes. That was the reason we were given, but why pay him $2 million when you can buy replacement level for league minimum?
dmick89Quote Reply
new shit
GWQuote Reply